How to Spot a Steroid User

Unfortunately, steroids have a variety of side effects or negative changes experienced by the mind and body of a user. These negative side effects can be devastating to a person. They can range from a minor case of oil skin, to major long-term health complications, or potentially death. The three main categories of these characteristics are listed below:

Internal changes including high blood pressure or liver tumors and/or liver enzymes out of range

Personal changes including testicular atrophy (shrinkage of the testicles) and reduced sperm count or infertility

External changes including severe acne, baldness, development of breasts, and increased aggression.

Should you suspect a friend, sibling, spouse, or child of using anabolic steroids, a variety of short-term side effects will appear as symptoms. Researchers have reported that users can also suffer from paranoid jealousy, extreme irritability, delusions, and impaired judgment. These can include the visible changes mention above in appearance, mood, or behaviors. The following information can make it easier for you to recognize and identify these specific symptoms, changes and habits of a steroid user.

Physical changes are typically the most pronounced short-term symptoms and include:

Unusually greasy hair or oily skin

Small red or purplish acne, including breakouts on the shoulders and back

Gynecomastia, the abnormally excessive development of the breast tissue in males

Persistent bad breath

Thinning hair throughout the head or receding hairline (male pattern baldness)

Increased length and thickness in hair (on body parts other than the head)

Excessive hair loss in the bed, shower, comb/ brush

Jaundice or yellowing of the skin; this signals liver damage

Skin eruptions and infections, such as abscesses and cysts

Drastic appetite shifts (extreme hunger or lessened/loss of appetite)

Joint pain; greater chance of injuring muscles and tendons

Disrupted sleep patterns (not sleeping well or sleeping too much)

Fluid level changes, bloating (face & body), and night sweating

Dizziness, trembling, nausea or vomiting

Rapid or progressive weight gain

Increased muscle size (sudden or progressive)

Hyperactivity or lethargy (too little energy)

Trouble urinating; discoloration or blood in urine

Women can also have these same side effects and others can also include:

Growth of facial hair

Changes in or cessation of the menstrual cycle

Deepened voice

Adolescents can also have the following side effects:

Growth halted prematurely through premature skeletal maturation

Accelerated puberty changes.

Personality and Psychiatric changes often happened suddenly and without visible triggers or reasons and include:

Extreme mood swings

Increased aggression or irritability

Disrespectful or abusive (verbally and/or physically)

Poor decision making stemming from feelings of invincibility

Secretive of actions and/or starts lying

Withdrawals from family members

Depression (usually when steroids are discontinued)

Hallucinations - seeing or hearing things that aren't there

Paranoia - extreme feelings of mistrust or fear

Social changes in adolescents may be mistaken for natural teenage distancing or independence and include:

Closes and/or locks bedroom door more often

Takes longer showers or baths (this time is often used for injecting)

Phone conversations become more private

Begins receiving more packages in the mail

Asks for money more often, or has more money than usual

Is stealing or losing belongings

Begins taking naps and/or falls asleep in class

Loss of focus or concentration (at work, school or home)

Decline in grades

Forgets plans, dates and activities

Loss of interest in friends, or suddenly gains new friends

OTHER STEROID FORMS

Steroid.orge in the form of injectable oils often packaged in vials or ampules (small often single serving glass bottles with pop off glass tops). However, they can also be taken orally or transdermally (rubbed on and absorbed through the skin). Some of the following are examples of what you might see.

ADDITIONAL SIGNS OF STEROID USAGE

Steroid use is often accompanied by or substituted with other products. These substances are taken during, directly after, or in place of steroid cycles (continuous steroid use for defined periods of time, typically 8 to 16 weeks or more).

Ancillaries and substitutes

Aromatase inhibitors come in tablet or liquid form, and are taken during cycles to reduce or eliminate many the physical side effects mentioned above.

Synthetic estrogens work as anti-estrogens within the male body. They also come in tablet or liquid form, and are used after cycles. Post-Cycle Therapy (PCT is used to limit the reception (absorption) of estrogen until the body can produce natural testosterone at normal levels again.

Testosterone boosters are legal, often all natural, some herbal-based, over-the-counter products. They stimulate some of the functions associated with the increase in the body’s natural testosterone and lutenizing hormone levels. Testosterone boosters are often used after cycles to aid in restoring natural testosterone levels.

NOTE: Some testosterone boosters can be literally converted to anabolic steroids by the body. Others actually contain steroids, and are generally removed from the market shortly after component analyses confirms steroid content.

Steroid equipment, or the presence of the specific items listed below is also indicative of steroid use. These are some of the tools steroid users purchase in order to properly administer and store the drugs.